Dearest Heart
by kazuko59
Summary: Post Altered Ending. Ainosuke and Yumeto finally have their old life back. But, as usual, Ainosuke just has to make his brother exasperated again. This time though, their banter took a more serious turn.


k59: another one-shot.. this is just a random that i got when i went out for a walk yesterday^^~ hope u'll enjoy it.. i had fun writing this^^~

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><p>"Dearest heart"<p>

xxx

xxx

A vein ticked at his temple as he did his best to control his temper.

"Ainosuke?"

"Yes, _niichan_?"

"I'm trying to do my work."

"Me too."

Another vein popped out upon hearing his little brother's answer.

"Ainosuke…"

"_Niichan_, I can't concentrate if you keep disrupting me!"

Oh, that's it! He had kept up with this ridiculously annoying yet lovable brat that he called his little brother for far too long already. Hey! Fifteen minutes was long!

"Ainosuke!"

"_Niichan_~!

His little brother whined at him with a hint of childishness in his voice. He was about to make another remark when his little brother turned around, a pout on his lips.

He groaned exasperatedly.

Not fair! How was it that every time his little brother pulled that on him, he was not able to remain angry at him. And the little devil knew it too!

"Ainosuke, I'm trying to work here," He repeated tiredly, gesturing to the piles of paper the scattered on the table. "And I can't do that if you're sitting on my laps!"

He crossed his arms, showing his irritation of not being able to work. He tilted his head upwards a bit, being about half a head shorter currently than his little brother, a feat that was only achieved when his little brother decided to use him as a cushion.

The almost sixteen years old only pouted more, showing his displeasure of being reprimanded like a small child.

"But, I was doing my work too," his little brother gestured at the books he was reading from and writing at earlier. Which, conveniently, were placed on top of his papers!

He sighed heavily at the petulant tone his brother had adapted to his voice and rubbed his temple tiredly. Really, just what did he have to do to be able to do his work peacefully?

"Can't you do that in your own room? On your own desk?"

His little brother frowned at that and tilted his head to the side, as if not understanding the point.

"Why would I do that when I can use yours?"

Yumeto groaned and let his head fell backwards and leaned on the back of the chair he was sitting on, clearly exasperated and annoyed. He lifted his head and locked his eyes with his brother's chestnut brown ones.

"_Why_, should you use _my_ desk, when you have _your own perfectly fine one_ in your room?"

He tried to make his little brother see his logic, but, really, sometimes he swore that his and his brother's logic ran in the opposite directions. His little brother merely frowned deeper and gave him a look which told him that the younger thought that he was being an idiot. He scowled upon seeing that.

"Why shouldn't I?"

"Because," he repeated impatiently, "I can't work if you used me as a chair!"

His little brother pouted at him again, clearly not agreeing with him. He groaned as he realized that this argument he had would last quite a bit, if the indignant glint in his little brother's eyes was any indication.

"I sat on your laps all the time and you never complained before."

"You were twelve!"

"So?"

He groaned in exasperation. It seemed to him that he had been blessed with the densest little brother in the world. Really, hadn't this child heard something called growth?

"Ainosuke…"

He put his hand on his little brother's shoulder, making sure that he had his undivided attention.

"When you were twelve, you were this height."

He used his other hand to make a horizontal line a few centimeters above his stomach.

"Now, you are this height."

He moved his hand so that it was now hovering in front of his mouth. He then put his hand on top of his little brother's head.

"Understand now?"

Ainosuke raised an eyebrow at him and he had the feeling that his little brother was about to say something that would make him become even more exasperated. He was not mistaken.

"What does you becoming shorter have anything to do with me sitting on your laps?"

He blinked at his little brother for a moment before groaning and put his forehead on his brother's shoulder. He gave up! There was no point trying to make this child see reasons anymore.

A hand came up to pat him on the back.

"Oh, come on, _niichan_! I was just joking. I'm not that stupid, you know. I know I'm taller now, but that doesn't mean I can't sit on your laps anymore, can I?"

Yumeto lifted his head up and stared at his little brother for a while, before raising his hand to flick his brother's forehead. None too gently.

"Ow! What was that for?"

Ainosuke exclaimed as his hand flew to his forehead, rubbing the spot where he had flicked him.

"For being such a dense little brother."

Yumeto answered flatly, furrowing his eyebrows at his little brother. His brother threw him a bewildered look.

"What? What do I miss?"

A vein ticked at his temple again and he flicked his brother's forehead one more time. This time, he used no real force behind it.

"I said it twice already. I can't work if you are sitting on my laps like this. You're taller than me right now! I can't see! Not to mention you put your books on top my mine."

"But, I need to study."

His little brother whined at him, his lips once again forming a pout. He sighed tiredly, finally resigning and accepting that he would not get any work done anyway.

He should have known that he would never win against his brother in this kind of argument.

"What are you studying?"

Well, in that case, might as well help Ainosuke caught up with his studies. His heart clenched when he remembered that he was the reason that his little brother was lagging behind his classmates. It was his fault that his brother had had to spent two weeks in the hospital and an additional week of taking things easy. Meaning no going outside of the house.

Hands patted his cheeks a bit hard and he was startled out of his thoughts. He looked up to see Ainosuke was now glaring at him.

"Stop blaming yourself. It wasn't _niichan_'s fault that I was shot."

The younger stated firmly, guessing correctly what was going through his mind. He shook his head and reached out his hand to ruffle the younger's hair tenderly.

"Yes, it was."

Ainosuke frowned at him.

"No, it was not. I should have more sense than to stand in the line of the gunshot."

He smiled sadly, his hand continued to caress his little brother's hair.

"You couldn't have done that. You have absolutely no sense of self-preservation."

He chuckled when he saw his brother pouting at him.

"That, and anything could happen when there are guns involved. I learnt that years ago. I should have told you to get out of there the moment it became dangerous."

His brother frowned deeper.

"I wouldn't have listened."

He moved his hand so that it was now resting at the side of his head.

"But I should have tried anyway."

His brown eyes were filled with sadness and regret as he gazed at his little brother's.

"I've caused you so much pain. You came real close to dying that night."

He watched his little brother sighed. The younger then moved his arms and wrapped them around his neck. His eyes widened, though his arms immediately returned the hug.

"Ainosuke?"

"If by dying I could get my _niichan_, my only family, back by my side again, I don't mind dying thousands times over."

He quickly pulled out of the embrace and grabbed his little brother's head in his hand so that the younger was now facing him face to face. He gazed firmly at his brother's shock filled eyes.

"Don't say that!"

He saw his brother flinched at his harsh tone and loosened his hold. His eyes softened as he spoke again in a gentler voice.

"Don't say that. In case you forget, you are my only family too, my _little_ brother. It's my job to protect you. I would never let any harm comes to you if I can help it. So I don't want to hear you talk about dying anymore, alright?"

Ainosuke's eyes went teary at that and the younger nodded wordlessly. He chuckled in amusement at how adorable his brother was. His hand moved to pat his brother on the head.

"You are such a crybaby."

He winced when his brother hit him on the arm.

"And whose fault is that?"

Ainosuke asked as he rubbed his eyes with the palm of his hands. Yumeto chuckled and tugged his little brother's hand away gently, using his own hand to erase the tears that had escaped.

"It can't be my fault now, can it?"

The younger pouted, though letting the older to wipe his tears away.

"I can't believe you."

Yumeto just chuckled hearing that. He reached up and tugged his brother's head down, planting a soft kiss on his brother's forehead, before grinning brightly.

"Love you too."

A squeal startled them out of the rather serene atmosphere that was created because of their interaction. He whipped his head at the direction of the sound and found Sayama-sensei and Kato-san standing at the door of the room.

He felt something pressed against his neck and looked down to see his little brother burying his face on it. He chuckled as he realized that his little brother was currently blushing. He put a hand at the back of Ainosuke's head and started to caress it gently.

"Sayama-sensei. Kato-san."

He greeted them warmly.

"No one answered when we knocked, so we invited ourselves in," Kato informed him. The older man looked more than a little amused.

Sayama though, she was positively beaming. When he caught sight of what she was clutching in her hands though, he understood immediately. It seemed that the school nurse had just gained one newest addition for her 'Ainosuke's cute moments' video collection.

He pulled his brother closer.

"Since when have you been there?"

Sayama grinned at him as Kato answered for the both of them.

"Since 'I can't concentrate if you keep disrupting me'."

Yumeto huffed.

"Since the beginning then. Can't bother to make yourself know, can you?"

If possible, Sayama's grin widened. She was almost hopping on the spot as she answered him.

"And missed the opportunity to capture Ainosuke in his rare cute behavior? Not a chance!"

"What?"

He winced as the loud voice was shouted right next to his ear. He scowled at the source of the headache, his little brother, who had lifted his head and was now staring at his teacher in disbelief. He noticed that Ainosuke's cheeks were still dusted with light pink.

"Sayama-sensei!"

As if sensing her student's irritation coming, she backed away from the room.

"Well, I see that you're busy right now. I'll come back later!"

As soon as she finished talking, she ran out of the room. He winced again as his little brother gave a half-frustrated half-embarrassed cry and jumped out of his laps to chase his teacher.

Both men just stared dumbfounded as teacher and student went out of their sight. Moments later, a ruckus could be heard from the direction of the living room. Yumeto sighed, causing Kato to look at him questioningly, rising his eyebrow.

"They will never learn, will they?"

The older sniggered and shook his head.

"Never."

Yumeto nodded.

"I thought so. Oh, well."

He stood up from his chair and walked out of his room, Kato falling into a step beside him.

"We should put a stop on their cat-and-mouse game. Why do I get the feeling that one of them always ended up chasing the other for whatever reason?"

Kato just chuckled, "Isn't it a good thing? It means that Ainosuke-kun has gone back to his normal self."

A smile graced his lips, remembering the life that the both of them had been having so far.

"That he has, Kato-san. That he has."


End file.
